Portugal orders COVID test, proof of vaccination at hotel check-in

LISBON, July 8 (Reuters) – Striving to contain a worrying wave of COVID-19, tourism-dependent Portugal on Thursday imposed stricter rules, forcing holidaymakers to show a negative test, vaccination certificate or proof of recovery to stay in hotels.

The number of daily new cases in Portugal has been steadily increasing in recent weeks, returning to levels last seen in February, when the country was under strict lockdown to deal with what was then the worst wave. coronavirus disease in the world.

Almost 90% of cases are from the most infectious Delta variant, and as it spreads rapidly, the country finds itself in a difficult situation, struggling to save the usually busy summer season.

Negative tests, vaccination certificates or proof of recovery will also be required to eat inside restaurants in 60 high-risk municipalities, including Lisbon and the city of Porto, on Friday evenings and at weekends.

“For a long time, the only measure we had was to limit economic activity,” Cabinet Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva said. “With the digital certificate (EU) and the more frequent availability of tests, we have other ways of ensuring security.”

Vacationers and restaurant patrons must use the EU’s COVID-19 digital certificate. The rapid antigen and PCR tests will also be valid, the minister said. Rapid tests can be provided by hotels upon check-in.

The new rules, which also apply to other vacation homes like Airbnbs, take effect on Saturday. Children under 12 accompanied by a parent or guardian are exempt.

The Portuguese Restaurant Association said “there are already too many rules and restrictions” that threaten to scare away customers.

“It could destroy the silver lining of many businessmen,” he said.

Customers and businesses who break the rules face fines of up to € 500 and € 10,000, respectively.

The measure will allow restaurants to reopen for dinner on Saturday and Sunday in high-risk areas, where they were forced to close earlier the previous two weekends.

A nighttime curfew, already in place in 45 municipalities, will be extended to 15 other municipalities, including Faro, the main town in the popular southern Algarve.

Portuguese police said they were struggling to prevent young holidaymakers from entering the streets of the Algarve at night.

Portugal, 10 million people, reported more than 3,000 daily cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 899,295.

Cases began to gradually increase after Portugal opened to visitors from the EU and Britain in mid-May. But daily deaths remain well below February levels, with new cases mostly reported in younger and unvaccinated people.

To cope with the increase, Portugal, which has fully vaccinated 40% of its population, ramped up its vaccination rollout and managed to vaccinate 600,000 people this week alone. The swift campaign sparked long queues outside vaccination centers.

Reporting by Catarina Demony, Victoria Waldersee and Sergio Gonçalves; Additional reporting by Patricia Vicente Rua; Editing by Victoria Waldersee, Aurora Ellis and Giles Elgood

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